A Poring By Your Side
by Pristine Harbinger
Summary: How far would you go to win your love? When Mico, a swordsman, asks Mayah the alchemist to make hhim a potion to make Artemis fall for him, he turns into a...! (Watch out for the LidiaxLoki though!)
1. The Hopeless Romantic

A/N: This is my second Ragnarok fanfiction! The first one never did work out, but this is my second try! Anyhoo, this is dedicated to my cousin's Poring PauLTAcz and to my Francis! Hope you guys like this!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… TT)

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Chapter 1:

The Hopeless Romantic and the Loyal Friend

The usual busy streets of Prontera were so crowded that day that nobody noticed a blue-haired swordsman scampering about. His usually soft black eyes were a bit clouded that day and his breathing was in gasps. He suddenly skidded to a stop in front of a large alchemist shop. He found the shopkeeper busy straightening a row of potion bottles.

"What is it this time, Miko?" the shopkeeper, a bright green-eyed, short and silver-haired alchemist with small spectacles sighed, not looking twice at the swordsman.

"I… saw… her!" Miko, the swordsman, panted, "Mayah… Be still my heart…"

"That's what you said with Sybille," the alchemist Mayah started counting off the fingers on her hand, remembering Miko's past infatuations.

"She had to go back to Morroc, to her family," Miko said, sitting down on the counter.

"And she dumped you…" Mayah was still going at it, "Oh, and Thea…"

"She went on her Sage training…"

"She went for that gorgeous wizard guy…" Mayah corrected, "As for Mikhaela… I remember…"

"Family problem…"

"Nope, she turned out to be Corianne's Isis on high with my potions…"

"Okay! Okay! I get you!" Miko exclaimed, frowning and covering Mayah's mouth, "So I was unlucky a few times…"

"53 times straight in a row, on my last count," Mayah interrupted again.

"Fine! 53 times then!" Miko snapped, "But I know it's gonna be different this time! I can feel that she's different from the others!"

"Okay, who is it this time?" Mayah sighed, "Have you finally gone out of your dreamland and asked Lois Chidder out?"

"Not funny, she's to pockmarked to be my type," Miko was beginning to get really tired of Mayah's wisecracks, "It's this blonde huntress I see everyday in the fountain. She's kind, gentle and really smart! I got to talk to her yesterday and I practically melted!"

"Artemis Shroomer," Mayah figured, "You're crazy, Micz, she's the most popular huntress in Payon and has a truckload of suitors! And guess who she picked?"

"Who?"

"Her Poring, Tacz."

"Great," Miko finally was exasperated enough to retort at Mayah's face, "I didn't know people without a lovelife can speak out too!"

"I do have a lovelife!" Mayah exclaimed, face turning scarlet.

"Yeah right, your Valiant Knight," Miko chuckled.

"So near…" Mayah muttered, taking deep breaths.

"Yet so far," Miko sighed, "When are you going to tell me who he is? I'm sure I've seen him in the academy before."

"I'd rather cut off my own tongue," Mayah stuck out her tongue and adjusted her spectacles, "One thing bothers me though, how do you say you'll win her heart?"

Miko suddenly fixed her a mischievous smile.

"What's with the look?" Mayah raised an eyebrow.

Miko's smile went even higher.

"Oh no! No way am I going to fix you an Aldaria's Drought!" Mayah shrieked, "It's way too risky!"

"Aw c'mon," Miko whined, "You're like, the best alchemist in the land! You graduated top of your class and you're the only alchemist alive that can whip up the legendary Potion of Sleeping Death!" A/N: Great, now Harry Potter's involved.

Mayah breathed deeply and turned her gaze away from the swordsman. She began to fix up her shop. Miko knelt in front of her and took her hand. He began to give her his infamous puppy-dog eyes.

"Miko…" Mayah tried to avoid it, but was captured by its spell, "You're the craziest person I have ever seen in my life!"

She began to pack up her shop and taking ingredients off the wall and into her bag.

"Help me pack, will you?" Mayah barked, "Aldaria's Drought is not an easy task and I just can't keep my shop standing here without a shopkeeper, you know."

"Mayah, you're the best best friend a guy could ever have!" Miko gave her so big a hug that her glasses lopsided, "Wait a sec, there's a catch, isn't there?"

"You're wrong this time- GERROFF ME!" Mayah elbowed herself out of Miko's grasp, "It's for free. Anyhow, what are best friends for? Why are you staring at me like that? Get to work; I can't leave my place like this."

After ten whole minutes of hauling wood, bottles with squiggly and slimy things in them, jars with hodgepodge matter crammed inside, empty flasks polished to perfection and bags, Mayah handed Miko a long and yellowed piece of parchment she produced from her pocket.

"Why do we even need this? You know the ingredients by heart!" Miko exclaimed.

"Yes," Mayah adjusted her glasses again, "But not all of them are in my shop. They're the ones with the red cross."

"A large jellopy from the Giant Hornet, grit from the Sandmen, a sprinkle of Stardust from a Bathory, a Cursed Ruby from a Drainiliar and a Pearl from a Myst Case," Miko's eyes grew wide as he read out loud, "Where am I supposed to find all these?"

"Why don't you be a sweetie and figure it out for youself?" Mayah snapped, still not looking at the despairing swordsman slumping on the ground.

"I'll never get to win Artemis this way…" Miko said, his usually high pride battered, "I was always a loser and I'll stay a loser… Look at me! I can't even pass the Crusader test… I can't even make a single girl fall for me!"

Miko's eyes were soon wet. Mayah took a glance at him and her expression softened. She sat with him on the hard ground and gave him a comforting smile. She placed an arm over his shoulder and gave him a one-armed hug.

"You really do love her," Mayah muttered under her breath, "If I can give you a piece of advice, you can go see Old Lidia in Alberta. She's been a merchant-slash-thief all her life and I won't be surprised if she has everything you need."

"You're the best friend I ever had, Mayah," Miko smiled at her.

"You're not a loser either," Mayah stood up suddenly, taking Miko by the hand, "I think you're the bravest swordsman in the whole of Rune-Midgard, because fighting for love makes more sense than any other battle in the world. C'mon, let's go, I'll treat the expenses this time. Kafra Therence is just down the road."

Mayah put on her goggles and handed her bulging bag to Miko. She marched down the busy street of Prontera and tapped the Purple-haired Kafra personnel on the shoulder.

"Two trips to Alberta, Kafra Therence," Mayah grinned.

"Right away, Miss Mayah!" Kafra Therence took Mayah's zeny and smiled at Miko, "Good afternoon, Sir Miko, I trust everything is going well with you and Miss Artemis?"

Before Miko could open his mouth, the whole ground opened up beneath his feet.

Pristine Harbinger: Yipee! Finished at last! Watch out for the next segment-

Kafra Therence: Relic Hunter Lidia from Ragnarok: Into the Abyss makes her way into the show!

Pristine Harbinger: Where'd you come from? (0o)

Kafra Therence: Where else? From Al De Baran of course!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Akune: I'm cute! (--)

Pristine Harbinger: Where did you all come from? ARGH! I'm going crazy! Well, just stay in tuned and keep your reviews coming! () See ya!

Akune: Wait! I haven't even started on explaining how cute I am!

Kafra Therence: That can't be right! I'm cuter than you!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Kafra Therence: WAAAHHH! Akune is mean! I'll tell you to Mommy!

Akune: And I'll tell you to Daddy!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Pristine Harbinger: (--;)


	2. Aldaria

A/N: Hey guys, thanks for reviewing my fanfic, it really helped me keep my hopes up! Sorry it took so long for me to upload a new chappie, it was our exams this week. Anyway, to the people who liked my previous story, Runaway Princess, I'm sorry I won't be continuing that for a while… I'm having writer's block! BTW, this new chapter is dedicated to the LokixLidia pairing, it looks cute! Less humor today, it's a serious chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… TT) I don't even own Mulan. Note: the song in this chapter is entitled Reflections… sung by no other than the Filipina Lea Salonga (I'm soooo proud!).

Chapter 2:

Aldaria

"What do you keep under there, rocks?" Miko whined as he dragged the bag across the coral-white streets of Alberta.

"Sometimes," Mayah shrugged, "I trust it's your first time in Alberta?"

"Yeah," Miko stared at Alberta's whitewashed buildings and then turned to Mayah, "How'd Kafra Therence know I like Artemis?"

"The Kafras know everything," Mayah shrugged, walking straight to a shack down at the docks.

Mayah knocked at the weather-beaten door. Clashes, clangs and a cat's pained meow were heard inside.

"Calm down, Sessy! I'll be right there!" a voice of an old woman called out.

The door opened to reveal a rather messy house with only one room. Pots, pans and other things were scattered randomly on the floor. A strange-looking black cat with three tails was going berserk on the floor.

"What d'you want?" a gray-haired old lady clutching a bag of foul-smelling substance peeked outside.

"We're here to make some trades Miss Lidia," Mayah smiled at her courteously, "If you have some time to spare of course. You seem – er – busy."

She turned her glance at the crazy cat.

"I always have time for you, Mayah, dear," Lidia softened once she figured out who it was, "Well, don't just stay out there… come in! Let us have a look at you."

Lidia beckoned them to sit on two makeshift chairs which she fashioned out of two crates marked with "Alberta Pickled Hydra Tentacles Factory". She began fussing about and put bigger crate in the middle. She took out three terribly chipped mugs and poured hot liquid which the pair assumed to be tea.

"Anyway," Mayah tried to take a sip, but found something slimy slithering in it that made her green, "Urgh… um… well, as I said we came for some trades."

"Let me see your list, then," Lidia held out her hand.

Mayah bit her lip and reluctantly handed the parchment. Lidia squinted to see the writing and her eyes suddenly grew large. She began shaking her head and muttering swear words under her breath.

"You're one brave kid, boy," Lidia told Miko, "I know it's you since Mayah's too sensible to ever produce a potion as complex and dangerous as this one. Who's the lady and what's your name?"

"Miko Kaiser of Lutie, madam," Miko answered indefinitely, "I'm a swordsman on training to be a Crusader."

"You're avoiding the question, Miko," Lidia said, "Who's the unlucky lady?"

"She's… She's…" Miko thought twice, "Artemis Shroomer of Payon…"

"I know her, she's quite the party girl," Lidia sighed, "I trust you never heard of Aldaria's story before?"

"I've heard of Aldaria's Draught from Mayah though…"

"And Mayah's the girl to tell you all about it too," Lidia said, "Every polished Alchemist knows about Aldaria. Would you do the honors, Mayah?"

"Before the advent of the Age of Men… Before the dawn of the Holy War of Gods and Mortals… Before the hand of the Valkyries… There was a time when all of the young women of Alberta had to marry…" Mayah began fantastically…

FLASHBACK

"Aldaria, dear, you have to pick someone out…" a tall man told to a very beautiful girl with golden locks and sea blue eyes sitting on the windowsill of the house.

"Daddy, haven't picked anyone yet…" Aldaria told him as he left the room.

"Well, what're we worrying about?" Aldaria heard her mother say, "She's known as the most beautiful girl in Midgard. She's an excellent Alchemist and a smart and graceful young lady. There's nothing to worry, she can find a husband in time."

"I don't know," her father told her mother, "Nothing would bring our family honor than to see Aldaria married. But at this rate… I don't think so…"

Aldaria sunk into misery. It wasn't her fault she was like this… There she was, the kind, smart and graceful lady of forlorn beauty… Yet, she was only admired… never loved…

"Look at me…

I will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter.

Can it be I'm not meant to play this part?

Now I see that if I were truly to be myself,

I would break my family's heart…

"Who is that girl I see,

Staring straight back at me?

Why is my reflection someone I don't know?

Somehow I cannot hide…

Who I am, though I've tried…

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

When will my reflection show who I am inside?"

"Nice song…" a disembodied voice called out to the young soul, "But not good enough…"

"Haven't you caused me enough trouble already, Freya?" Aldaria snarled, "You might be a Goddess, but I don't care…"

In a flash of light, the Goddess Freya appeared in front of the youth. She glowed radiantly in a robe illuminating the colors of the Aurora Borealis. The Goddess was a sight no human had ever seen before, yet, Aldaria's beauty seemed to be more eye-catching.

"I've decided to give you a chance, proud youth," Freya told her, "You're the most accomplished Alchemist in the whole of Midgard. No one, not even in Asgard can beat you. So, I've given you a week to come out with a potion to make somebody fall in love with you. If you cannot, I will personally send the Valkyrie Himmelmez and her Deputy Bijou to take care of you. Consider yourself lucky, mortal; no one has ever been lucky enough to survive my fury."

With that parting message the Goddess disappeared into the air.

For the past week, Aldaria labored in her tiny workshop, alone in the dark, she tried every formula possible. Finally, she came up with the perfect potion to make the man she adores so much to fall in love with her, a burly Blacksmith named Hermes.

The day they were wed, Freya came again to Aldaria, this time, in a blaze of fire.

"You might have won the battle, but you haven't won the war!"

Freya's curse wrought its fury at her. Aldaria one day found out that she didn't love the Blacksmith. She was too kind to ever admit the truth to her husband. For the rest of her life, she wandered in loneliness… Searching for her one true love…

FLAHSBACK

"Are you absolutely sure you're going to do this, Miko?" Lidia asked him, "You don't want to find out in the last minute your true feelings…"

"I'm sure I my decision, Miss Lidia…" Miko looked out into the window, "I love her…"

"If you say so. I'll go get the ingredients," Lidia sighed, "But this one's on the house, I don't want to cause any more trouble for you."

JJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ

As Mayah added the last ingredients, Miko rocked nervously back and forth on his chair. It was deep in the night in Prontera. The pair was working in the abandoned belfry of the Sanctuary, the safest place in all of Midgard for them to be working. No one knows the passage to the belfry except the two of them and Father Andrei Rubalkabara, a priest that offered the room for Mayah's workshop.

"It's ready," Mayah said as clouds of purple smoke simmered from her cauldron, "Drink just one drop and think really hard of Artemis."

"Hold on to your lucky rabbit's foot, Mayah," Miko muttered.

"How'd you know I own a lucky rabbit's foot?"

"The Kafras know everything."

"Just be careful, Aldaria's Draught is known to turn people into monsters if not done properly…"

Just then, Mayah let out a horrified scream…

A/N: I've done it finally! Thank Odin! Thanks to my Ma'am Dabuco, if not for her assignment I wouldn't have the heart to finish this! Anyway, what caused Mayah to scream like that? Keep tuning on to the next-

Kafra Therence: Mommy! Akune is being mean again! ( )

Akune: But Daddy, she started it!

Pristine Harbinger: Why do you guys keep showing up at my fic and causing more trouble? (0o;) Feathertop, would you keep those kids down? I'm trying to end my fic! Anyways, keep your review coming guys, I really appreciate them! Where was I? Oh yeah, keep tuning on to my lousy fic! See ya!

Feathertop: Riiiight…


	3. Mayah's Plot

A/N: Here's to a new chapter in the unfortunate lives of Mayah and Miko! Erm… Less humor again today, I'm not in the mood to joke around… Maybe next chapter if I'm lucky enough! Warm fuzzies to all who reviewed me! Heeheehee… Anyway, this new chappie is for all my friends who are into fanfiction: Feathertop, Lilydew, Akune Yaguru, Chonki, Roan and of course, Francis, the guy that is without a doubt the most talented person I have ever met. Anyway, keep those reviews coming!

To Rhea-samma: Sorry… I just think they look cute… even if it really is nonexistent… It's cute because Loki's silent and Lidia's the life of a party! I'm going to do a LokixFenris soon… : )

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… T T)

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Chapter 3:

Mayah's Plot

Mayah's bloodcurling scream emanated into the night.

"Why? What happened?" Miko asked her.

She placed a mirror in front of Miko's face and what took the swordsman's eyes was a bunch of pink jelly.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH! I'M A PORING!" Miko shrieked in disbelief (and in a squeaky poring's voice), "HOW THE HELL COULD THIS HAPPEN?"

"I… I don't know…" Mayah stuttered as she continued to stare at the bundle of pink jelly bouncing in fright and turning red with fright, "I… might've… m-made… a-a… mistake!"

"That's impossible!" Miko squeaked, "You never make mistakes! You're Mayah! The best alchemist of this age in Midgard! Even Freya couldn't equal you!"

_The curse!_

"I- I don't know…" Mayah's face looked very much multicolored at that time and in her head was a swirl of emotions.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the parchment with the ingredients for Aldaria's Drought. She squinted behind her glasses, reading furiously into the text.

"I don't know…" she said again, "It's not found how to counteract the effects of the Draught here. There's a missing piece in the parchment ever since my mother passed it on to me…"

"Do we really need that old thing?" Miko practically bounced to the roof in frustration, "We can just look at the Alchemy books in the Prontera Library. I'm sure there's something in there about Aldaria's Draught somewhere."

"If there is, that library doesn't exist," Mayah gritted her teeth, finally woken from her misery, "King Tristan I ordered every book with Aldaria's Draught in it burned when his daughter tried to make one and got herself turned into a… into a…"

Mayah gulped.

"Poring?"

"Nope, worse, she turned into a Dokkaebi," Mayah sighed, "No one knows if she ever turned back into her normal self. Even so, the king recast the Draught and now every document in Midgard with it has been destroyed in a mass burning. This parchment is without a doubt the only piece of paper in Midgard that contains the Draught, except those in the Underground of course."

"There's an Underground in Midgard?"

"Kidding!"

"Aw, c'mon, Mayah!" Miko was now bouncing all over the place, "Now is so not the time to joke around! I need to go back to my old self! Isn't there any way?"

"I told you Miko, and I'll tell you again," Mayah hung her head in desperation, "I don't know… Why don't we get some shuteye first? It's getting late and you need your rest, we'll figure something out in the morning. Is that ok with you?"

"No, it is NOT ok!" Miko bawled out to her in complete anger, "This is YOUR entire fault that I'm like this and YOU will get me out of this! I… I don't know if I can even trust you anymore and you want to sleep! What kind of bestfriend are YOU!"

"M- Miko…" Mayah's eyes were starting to water as she looked at Miko in complete repentance with eyes full of shame, "I… I promise… you'll get through this… I'm here with you all the way… Y-you're m-my bestfriend, M-Miko… I won't l-let you d-down another t-time… But now, w-we h-have to rest…"

"Mayah, I…"

Before Miko could utter another word, Mayah had put him to sleep with one of her potions. She stood there, not knowing what to do. She went out of her workshop, locked the door and started the descent down the stairs.

The sanctuary was peaceful at night, a perfect picture of God's workmanship. Mayah laid down Miko on one of the pews and knelt before the man nailed on the cross. As tears fell down her face, she prayed for guidance. She wasn't really that religious; she even had a few tests of faith and ignored it. But this time, she turned her eyes up to the Holy One.

_Lord, help me…_

_Odin, guide my hands…_

_Fjorgyn, bless me with the power of the earth…_

_Heimdall, watch over me…_

_Freyr, Skadi, Frigg, Balder, Freya…_

She got up and picked Miko up. The once-swordsman-turned-Poring was in an unknown dreamland. A chill brought by guilt and self-pity wrapped her body as she walked down the aisle. The night went even colder as she stepped out into the deserted streets of Prontera. The castle's clock read one-past-twelve as Mayah walked briskly towards the fountain. Her skimpy Alchemist's dress didn't even put an effort to put back the biting chill.

She sat there on the edge of the fountain for a long time, thinking deeply…

My morning starts to shine,

With teardrops in my eyes...

And here I am alone starting to realize,

That my days would be brighter,

If I could learn to hide,

The feeling that I have for you

Keeps haunting me inside…

Then my days begin,

With simple thoughts of you…

Hoping that tomorrow will be me and you…

Sharing dreams with each other,

And making them come true

Holding one another, saying all I need is you…

But will you say that you love me?

And show me that you care?

Say when I need you;

You will always be there…

But if you go and leave me,

This I swear is true,

My love will always be with you…

"Oh well!" Mayah wiped her eyes and jumped up, nearly causing Miko to fall from her lap.

She started down onto the Main Street towards her house. Suddenly, an idea struck her head as she passed Artemis' little nest.

"Eureka!" she shouted out loud.

"Keep it down, will ya!" someone called out unexpectedly from inside another house.

"Sorry!" Mayah cried as she sprinted towards Artemis house, "Miko! Miko wake up!"

"Wha- ?" Miko opened his eyes, "Is it morning already?"

"No, but Miko, listen, I have a plan," Mayah said gently, "We're in Artemis' house right now."

"Really!" Miko's eyes lit up suddenly, "Are there any nude photos of her around here?"

"No, you perverted freak!" Mayah slapped Miko playfully, "I'm going to leave you here for a while, just until I get a solution, ok? I'll take Tacz and replace you with him."

"Where are you going to place Tacz, then?" Miko squeaked, "It's not like you can take care of a Poring. You can't even keep your pet Lunatic alive enough!"

"Don't remind me," Mayah sniffed, "Stitch was a good Lunatic…"

"Yeah right," Miko snorted, "You only had him for a whole day until a Grand Pecopeco YOU summoned ate him whole because you forgot to hide him."

"Stop it before I eat you whole myself!" Mayah growled, "I'll get someone else to take care of him, ok? Hurry up now, ever so gently…"

Mayah took Miko in her arms and opened up the window. She tiptoed to the kitchen and found Tacz sleeping peacefully on the table. She laid Miko on the table and got all of Tacz's accessories and put them on Miko. One of which included a really large orchid.

"Oh no, I'm not going to wear that on me! I look stupid!" Miko bellowed.

"Sssssshhhh!" Mayah shushed, "You wouldn't want to wake up Artemis, would you? Now hold still!"

Mayah took her time giving Miko a makeover. Soon, there was no significant difference between the two Porings. Mayah scooped up Tacz and gently laid him inside her ingredient bag.

"I'll be back, I promise," Mayah told Miko.

"Mayah, I…" Miko tried again.

"You don't have to say anything… see you, Miko," Mayah smiled reproachfully at her friend.

As she made her way out the kitchen, she clumsily made a jar from the counter fall down with a large crash. She stopped, expecting Artemis to come down the kitchen at any minute.

Silence.

"Mayah!" Miko hissed.

Again, she made a tower of plates fall down. (With some lightning, earthquakes and stuff like that in the background.)

Silence.

"Did anybody else notice the lightning?" Miko asked.

"That Artemis is a hard sleeper," Mayah wiped her brow with a handkerchief, which she dropped to the floor.

"TACZ!" Artemis' candy-sweet voice called out, "Are you ok, Tacz!"

Alarmed, Mayah sprinted out into the night.

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A/N: Another chappie done! Sorry about the grammatical errors, if there are any, I don't have Chonki to correct them!

Kafra Therence: Did you notice the part where Mayah was praying both to God and the Norse gods?

Akune: Mommy made a mistake!

Pristine Harbinger: Hey, I was confused! Stop getting on my back, Akune!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Pristine Harbinger: You're probably wondering what the hell these people are doing in my story-

Kafra Therence: Um…

Pristine Harbinger: Anyway, I don't know why these people are here, myself. (- -;) Anyways, once again, keep your reviews coming! See ya!


	4. Your Choice

A/N: I feel honored to have all your reviews! To all the Pinoy writers, mahal ko kayong lahat! (I'm an Anti-Sandara/ Rainier Castillo, by the way) Heehee… Anyway, here's to my story's fourth chappie! Hope you guys like it, even if I have a large case of writer's block... '-'

To everyone: Feathertop is not being laughed at. She's my good friend and she um… is going home with me to…! Just kidding, FT! Hey… What are you doing with that butcher knife? You're going to hurt someone! Hey, put that down, why are you looking at me like that? Stop it… STOP IIIIT!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… TT)

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Chapter 4:

Your Choice

The sun shone fiercely in Prontera the next day, signaling one of Midgard's biggest heat-waves. However, amidst the boiling temperatures, Miko slept peacefully on top of Artemis Shroomer's tabletop. He had been dreaming of boucing up and down Mayah's workshop as a Poring. Was it just a dream?

"Good morning, Tacz!" called out Artemis' candy voice, "Are you ready for breakfast yet?"

"Well, that sucks… I really am a Poring…" Miko muttered as he opened his weary eyes, then he remembered normal Porings never speak.

"TACZ!"

"Poing- poing!" Miko squeaked.

Artemis went in the kitchen in her nightgown and her hair ruffled up. Miko held his breath and his eyes widened; even in that state, Artemis looked captivating. The blonde huntress looked into the direction of Mayah's mess the night before and glared at Miko.

"Tacz, what did you do again?" Artemis sighed with a breathtaking, photogenic smile, "You broke a half dozen of my china! What have you been doing all night, having a party with one of your lady friends, I suppose?"

"Pori… poing?" Miko answered in a very Poring-ish way.

"Anyway, here's your breakfast," Artemis beamed at him, "After this, it's time to go to the bathtub with me. We gotta keep that jelly shiny, right?"

For the first time in history, a Poring blushed.

_This is gonna be sweet!_

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Back in Mayah's old house in the corner of Prontera, heat waves were also making their way in.

"I know what you did, Mayah," Lidia sat down on one of Mayah's handcrafted chairs from her ancestral home in Payon, "And I'm afraid I don't like it one bit."

"I had to do it," Mayah sighed, fixing a cup of tea faster than the chef at the Prontera castle could ever do, "If I didn't, Miko is as good as dead. Anyway, this is only a temporary arrangement. I'll fix it until I find a cure."

Suddenly, the Poring that was supposed to be tied and gagged inside Mayah's room came bounding inside the living room. Mayah scooped the struggling bunch of jelly and poured the contents of a salt shaker on top of the Poring. The creature suddenly slumped in sleep.

"What did you do?" Lidia asked in curiosity.

"Salt makes Porings drowsy," Mayah told her as she placed Tacz back into the room, "I'm surprised someone like you doesn't know this trick."

"I understand it must be blow in your pride not being able to find a cure for Miko's ailment," Lidia said as she sipped Earl Grey tea.

"It's more of a blow in the emotional plane," Mayah mumbled, "But I'm confident I'll find a cure."

"You won't find a clue in any history book," Lidia told her as she dug into the contents of her pocket, "Rather here."

Lidia handed Mayah a yellowed piece of parchment. Mayah adjusted her spectacles and read into the text. The scribbles in it were tiny and almost incomprehensible, but Mayah found it familiar and very readable.

"The missing piece!" she shrieked excitedly, "I've been looking for this thing in years! Where did you get it, Miss Lidia?"

"Your mother gave me this before she died, after she delivered you," Lidia hung her head sadly, "She told me to give this to you when you decide to concoct Aldaria's Draught. She hoped I'd never have to give it to you."

"It says here that the only thing that can reverse the side effects of a wrong concoction of the Draught is…"

"The will of a person to bring him or herself back," Lidia finished for her, "I came here to give it to you before you give the Draught to that kid. He was making the biggest mistake of his life. As his friend, you should've told him that. You know how hopeless romantics are."

"I hate being hated," Mayah said simply.

"Don't make the same mistake I made a long, long time ago, Mayah," Lidia placed both her hands on Mayah's shoulders, "I'm almost a mother to you, so I don't want you to go through the same things I went through in my youth."

"The blue-haired assassin, am I correct?" Mayah sighed again.

"Loki…" Lidia's eyes showed longing and loneliness, "the blue-haired assassin with the eyes as dark as the far-side of the moon… He's still the only man I could ever love…"

"Hey, let's not start crying here," Mayah smiled sweetly at Lidia, "I'm going to go to Miko right now, I've got to tell him all about the cure. I promise, Miss Lidia, Miko is never going to be like my great, great grandmother."

"Aldaria… Bless her soul…" Lidia sighed, "You better go, Mayah, I'll watch over Tacz for a while."

Mayah hugged the old lady and Lidia's sorrow seemed to have evaporated. She gave Lidia one little wave before disappearing out into the heat wave.

She passed Artemis' house and found the huntress preparing to leave for the port office, as she does every morning, to mail a letter to her family back in Payon. She waved goodbye to her Poring and locks the door tight.

"I didn't know you leave Tacz when you go to the post office all alone," Mayah said as Artemis passed her.

"Oh, I do, she'll be ok," Artemis gave Mayah a kilowatt smile, "Thanks for your concern, Miss Mayah, see you later!"

Artemis continued her stroll to the post office as Mayah slowly approached her house. One of the windows was open and the air seemed to smell of Blueberry pie. She saw Miko lounging on one of the chairs in the living room.

"Miko!" she hissed, "Come here!"

"Mayah!" Miko bounced to the window, "What're you doing here?"

"I've found a cure!" Mayah smiled triumphantly, "You have to will yourself back. The only thing that stops you from reverting back is that you actually like being a Poring! Last night was the first night you ever spent that way, so it doesn't count. So, all you need is to wish yourself back into Miko and it'll be instant!"

"And miss this chance?" Miko squeaked, "Are you crazy?"

"What do you mean?"

"The only way Artemis will ever love a guy like me is this way," Miko told her, "For the first time in my life, I've felt real love… The love of a real girl… I… I don't want to be turned back, Mayah."

"You're going mad, Miko, all that Poring food must have taken effect on your head," Mayah shook her own head, "I've been telling Artemis not to use Morroc's Monster Feed for years. It's made of Bigfoot dung, you know."

"I don't care if it's dung or not," Miko replied, "All I care about is that I'm not going mad and that I've made my choice. I'm staying this way, Mayah. I'm sorry to have worried you… Goodbye, my old friend, I don't know if we'll be seeing each other again. Artemis was talking about moving back to Payon…"

"So, that's it," Mayah raised an eyebrow, "Whatever you say, Micz, just don't…"

"Miss Mayah?" called out a candy-sweet voice from behind her, "What are you doing in my window?"

"I was… uh… making sure Tacz was safe! Right, I'm going now," Mayah grinned sheepishly at Artemis.

"Oh, I was just leaving," Artemis said, "I just got a letter that needs my immediate action. It was from a friend in Geffen, he wants me to go to his aid right away."

"Are you going to take Tacz with you?" Mayah asked politely.

"Of course, I never go far without her," Artemis grabbed Tacz from inside the window and started down the street, "I'll see you soon, Miss Mayah."

She approached the Kafra Therence and the Kafra made them disappear in a swirl of white light. Mayah also went up to Kafra Therence.

"Artemis is a brave girl, don't you think?" Kafra Therence told her, "Imagine going to Glast Heim just to save someone. She even ordered extra fast. It was very courageous but very stupid for her to have gone to the Glast without even a support to tag along."

"Glast Heim!" Mayah choked.

"You heard me," Kafra Therence adjusted her glasses.

Mayah sprinted down the road as fast as she can, ignoring the snide remarks about her short dress as she passed old ladies. She arrived in her house panting out her breath. Lidia was sitting on the dining table, reading something that was titled vaguely like _Men are from Morroc, Women are from Geffen._

"What's wrong, child?" Lidia asked her, "You look like you've been running the distance to Al De Baran."

"Artemis took Miko to Glast Heim! By herself!" Mayah gasped, her glasses lopsided.

"Well, that's not good…" Lidia muttered, "We have to go after them!"

"No, you're staying here to guard Tacz," Mayah piled potion after potion on her bag, "I'll go!"

"And leave you alone in the Glast, not me, sweetie," Lidia brandished a dagger from her belt, "I may be old, but I still have the razor-sharp skills of thievery."

"I'll watch Tacz," said a voice.

"Kafra Therence?" Mayah faced the purpe-haired personnel, "What're you doing here?"

"I know about your plot, Mayah," Kafra Therence said, "I saw you running down the streets last night, carrying Miko with you. I overheard that you transformed him using the Draught. I want to help."

"Very well," Mayah sighed, "Let's make haste, Miss Lidia, Miko's life is at stake."

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A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update another chappie, it's Halloween, you know, and I don't pass up the opportunity to watch _Ju On: The Grudge_ all over again!

Akune: Wooooo! Therence, I'm Kayako, feel my wrath!

Kafra Therence: Get away from me, you vile girl!

Feathertop: Riiiight…

Pristine Harbinger: (- -;) Anyways, as always, keep your reviews coming! Rock on!


	5. So Near Yet So Far

A/N: I don't know… But I think this chapter will be the last… And possibly the longest… T T… It's a very, very serious chappie people, no laughing please… It's ok, though, I'm planning on making a FenrisxLoki fic based on a Disney movie! Watch out for that too! (Hey FT, no prizes for guessing what movie!) Well, here goes, the fifth and final chappie to A Poring By Your Side…

Disclaimer: I do not own Ragnarok Online or even Ragnarok: Into the Abyss. (I wish I did though… T T)

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Chapter 5:

So Near… Yet So Far…

Glast Heim seemed more menacing than the last time Mayah and Lidia visited it. It had the same open graveyards and violent and bloodthirsty monsters. However, something from the shadows seemed to have multiplied its darkness. The nervous Kafra at the gate beckoned them in, but with a few warnings and some rosary beads. The duo trekked in, expecting the usual smell of corpses and stale, dry blood to fill the air.

"The Glast hasn't changed," Lidia commented, "It's still gloomy as ever."

"Watch out, it's a Bathory," Mayah summoned a Marine Sphere in time to blast the Bathory to pieces.

"You're getting to be just like Aldaria, Mayah," Lidia said as she picked up the Bathory's broom.

"I'm flattered," Mayah blushed under her glasses, "I could never surpass her. Anyway, let's go; find a blonde huntress with silly angel wings in her head and a black masque with a Poring."

"Like that one?" Lidia pointed to a girl cowering under one of Glast Heim's famed willow trees, being cornered by an Abysmal Knight and a Myst.

"That was fast," Mayah said, "Artemis! ARTEMIS!"

"Miss Mayah! Help!" Artemis called out, but her gaze didn't leave the Knight, not aware that her Poring was bouncing towards Mayah.

"Mayah!" Miko exclaimed, "I'm so glad you're here, it was about to eat us alive!"

"Fight now, talk later," Mayah told the terrified creature, "Artemis! I'll support you! Drink this!"

Mayah tossed the huntress one of her energy-restoring potions while she threw a couple of Marine Spheres at the monsters and a few Flora to distract them. Artemis drank up the bottle and fired a few silver arrows at the pair of monsters. Lidia was attacking in melee, striking the monsters with her own lightning-fast moves.

The three worked together successfully, Lidia and Artemis attacking the monsters and Mayah providing the support. Soon, the Myst expired and what was left was the Abysmal Knight. The trio found a great difficulty in dealing with the monster. Lidia was soon panting on the ground, her back hurting.

"Miss Lidia!" Mayah screamed, "Watch out!"

The Abysmal Knight was about to trample the old woman flat, luckily a swordsman came to their aid, knocking away the monster's hooves with his sword.

"Miko!" Mayah was beaming, "You… you…"

"I made my choice," Miko said, "Now, let's rock!"

"Yahoo!" Mayah threw a couple more Marine Spheres at the Abysmal Knight while Miko attacked it with his sword.

"You guys make a pretty good team," Artemis said as soon as the Abysmal Knight evaporated, she turned to Miko, "I'm Artemis Shroomer by the way."

"I know," Miko said, "I stayed in your house last night."

"What?"

"Here's Tacz, Artemis," Lidia handed the sleeping Poring from Mayah's bag into Artemis' cradling arms, "He's in perfect condition, aside from he's drugged."

"You drugged my Poring?"

"It's very simple actually how that came to be, Artemis…"

Miko took the liberty of explaining what actually happened to the huntress as they walked inside Glast Heim. After that story, Artemis was breathing fire from her nostrils.

"And you did this because?"

"Because Miss Shroomer," Miko held his breath, knelt before Artemis and took her soft, milky hands, "I am positive that you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen."

"Miko…"

_This is soooo corny_… Mayah thought, but just then, something caught her eye.

"Look out yonder!" Mayah called out, "There's an injured knight out there and I don't think he's in the condition to heal himself."

"A Knight!" Artemis woke up from Miko's spell and quickly scanned the surroundings, "Keiru! KEIRU!"

She ran towards the injured figure and quickly checked its pulse.

"He's still alive, but barely," Mayah said, kneeling down on the Glast's bloodstained floor, "It's a good thing we got here in time or he might've been dinner for the Bathories."

She tilted the Knight's head and made him drink a dark green fluid that seemed to have a life of its own. The knight suddenly coughed and regained consciousness.

"It's made out of the leaves of a Shining Plant, guaranteed to cure even the biggest and nastiest wounds, but it's very rare so you owe me at least a hundred and fifty thousand Zeny," she told the Knight.

"Thank you," the Knight handed Mayah a bulging bag of coins, "You saved my life. My name is Keiru by the way."

"Oh, we noticed," Lidia said, "Now, shall we continue?"

"No," Artemis smiled sweetly, "This is my mission. I've saved Keiru from harm, thanks to all of you. I could never repay you with anything… The least I can do is to invite you all to my wedding this week."

"You're getting married!" Miko exclaimed.

"Why yes, with Keiru here," Artemis looked at Keiru dreamily and noticed the look on Miko's face, "Oh, Miko… You have done a lot for me… Including saving my life... I'm sure no girl could refuse someone as brave as you. But I'm not that girl… I'm sorry, Miko."

"Number 54," Miko hung his head sadly as Mayah distribute magical Butterfly's Wings that would transport them back to Prontera, "Are you happy, Mayah?"

"No, Miko," Mayah answered back as soon as Keiru and Artemis left, "I'm neither happy nor sad. I'm just thankful that you came out alive."

"That's it!" Miko exclaimed, "I've had enough! I'm swearing out love from my life, forever! Anyway, nobody ever loved a loser like me! I have to turn myself into a Poring or a Dokkaebi to have somebody love me, right!"

"Miko…"

"I was a nobody before I became a Poring," Miko said defiantly, "I was nobody when I became a Poring and I'll stay a nobody!"

"Well, you're a somebody to me!" Mayah retorted back, "That's what best friends are for Miko!"

"Oh brother…" Lidia sat down on the ground, "With that volume, they might just wake up the dead and send them back to their graves in an instant."

"Yeah right!" Miko yelled back even louder, "What does that matter! Nobody loved me when I was myself and nobody ever will!"

"What does that matter?" Mayah was turning red in anger and her glasses were falling off her ears, "Miko… _I_ loved you when you were yourself! _I_ loved you even if you're that way and _I_ always will! Nothing will ever change that! In my eyes Miko, you're the best swordsman in all of Midgard! Doesn't that matter!"

Miko was stunned even for words. He just stood there, watching Mayah in silence.

"Friends never have to prove anything to anybody, Micz," Mayah regained composure and adjusted her glasses, "Much less to each other. Since you've made up your mind… I'll leave you. All I have to say is that I'm grateful to have met somebody like you… a person that taught me to love more than myself… a person that taught me life is not always desperation… and most of all, a person that can make me laugh the world away. I love you, Miko Kaiser of Lutie and, as I said, nothing will ever change that. Goodbye, forever…"

She threw the Wing into the air and instantly vanished.

"Aldaria was her great, great grandmother, you know," Lidia told Miko, "She really has it for you, boy. I never thought an intellectual like her would ever be susceptible to these feelings."

Miko sat on the ground and stared into space.

"We better go, boy," Lidia tapped Miko with one of her daggers, "You don't want the Dark Lord to spot you and have you for dinner, right?"

Miko stood up, still in his dreamland.

"You know where to find her, Miko," Lidia whispered, "Look inside yourself, I'll see you back in Prontera…"

Lidia vanished and Miko was wrapped in the Glast's sultry silence. The Mysts saw him, but refused to attack. The Mysts did not dare to attack a person like himself, something within him was burning a certain aura of holiness…

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Artemis Shroomer's wedding was full of smiles and gay laughter. White flowers adorned the Sanctuary, symbolizing a new chapter of love for the happy couple. As Artemis looked up into his husband's eyes, she knew that their bond of treasured love could never be broken, forevermore.

"I do…"

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Mayah stared out into the window of the Sanctuary's highest belfry, aka her workshop. Father Andrei Rubalkabara knocked several times that day, telling her that Artemis Shroomer was looking for her in the Sanctuary's chapel and still is. Mayah didn't have the heart to answer back. Though he was dressed in her white alchemist's dress, which she always wore for weddings, she didn't show her face to the crowd.

So many memories were coming back to her…

FLASHBACK

_There were two novices in the field. The girl was holding a wooden mace and the boy was wielding a simple sword. They were attacking a rabbit-like creature._

_"Come back here you crazy Lunatic!" the girl was chasing the creature around the field in a frenzy._

_Suddenly, a Metaller materialized in front of her._

_"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" _

_The boy stepped forwards and shielded the girl from the Metaller's blows. He held unto the crying figure tight, even though his back was getting blue from the beating._

_"Don't worry, you're safe now…" he whispered, before finally collapsing to the ground._

_"Miko!" the girl cried as a party of adventurers defeated the Metaller._

_The Crusader took Miko and made him drink a potion to make him feel better._

_"One day Mayah, I'll be a Crusader too…" Miko muttered weakly into her ear, "I'll protect you…"_

FLASHBACK

_Yes… I'd kill just to hear those words again, Miko Kaiser…_

Suddenly, a guitar's soft rift echoed into the chamber.

"Please leave," Mayah called out.

Still, it persisted:

"It never even crossed my mind,

That I would fall in love with you…

You were always there behind me

But I never looked that way…

Friends are friends I looked at them

Nothing more and nothing less…

Familiar things you say and do,

Seem so strange, it's not like you…

"It never even crossed my mind,

That I would fall in love with you…

You were always there behind me

But I never looked that way…

Funny things that made me laugh

Is when I think about the past…

I never saw it coming

But when I turned around and you were there…"

She turned around and saw a carrot-top Crusader expertly strumming the guitar. His eyes looked straight into hers, full of happiness… and hope… and love…

"Miko…"

"I learned today,

That I need you more each day…

Grab on to you...

Don't ever let go...

I learned today,

That I need you more each day…

Grab on to you…

Don't ever let go..."

"Your Valiant Knight, huh?" Miko laid a bouquet of flowers on the Alchemist's feet, "I'm sorry, Miss, but I'm a Crusader…"

Mayah didn't know how to react, since she had almost forgotten Miko's bard-like skill with the guitar. The first word she sputtered out was:

"How?"

"Well, it turns out one of the Crusaders was passing the Glast when he sneeked a peek in our battle with that Abysmal Knight. He reported the happening to their leader and they decided to recruit me," Miko shrugged making it seem as though the armor was almost weightless, "Your constant bickering with me finally paid off, Mayah."

"No, what I mean is…" Mayah looked at him in the eyes, "Why?"

"I said to myself, I'll forget about all this in the height of my duties," Miko told her, "But, I remembered a certain promise I made to a little girl who got attacked by a Metaller. And I remembered that I didn't need to be a Poring to protect her…"

"I… I don't want to force you, Miko…"

"You're not forcing me…" Miko took Mayah's cold hands in his, "Mayah… I… I love you too…"

"And I never thought you'd say those words to me…"

"I won't fail the 55th time, will I?"

"Never…"

Even with the strings of love closing in on the couple in the chapel, another bond is being made directly above it. There will be changes… In the seasons and the times… but still, treasured love will always be true. As the bells tolled on the Sanctuary's highest belfry, a Crusader and an Alchemist held each other close, never leaving each other's embrace. A flock of doves took flight on the belfry, but neither of them noticed.

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It was the 23rd day of the month of Frigg, the Goddess of Marriage and Motherhood. Old Woman Lidia was making her way into the Prontera Cemetery and laid a bouquet of flowers on Aldaria, the famed Alchemist's grave. They said that even in death, the residents of Asgard had preserved her beauty, making her an eternal reminder of faithful love.

"Well, your great, great granddaughter is getting married today," she sighed, "She's as stubborn as you, but I think she'll get on just fine… At least she won't be like me…"

She cried softly and as if the wind carried her sobs, she heard the most heavenly voice she has ever heard in her years on Midgard.

"Lidia…" a dark-eyed old man came up to her.

Time's passage may have deformed his figure, but he still had the same eyes, eyes as deep as the dark side of the moon.

"Hello, Loki…" Lidia answered, "Why are you here?"

"To tell you how much I've loved you these past years," Loki sighed, "I've always loved you… Even if we cannot be together, Lidia, my love will always be with you…"

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And somewhere inside the Sanctuary… A new chapter will open in Midgard's unwritten history…

_I learned today,_

_That I need you more each day…_

_Grab on to you..._

_Don't ever let go..._

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A/N: Finished at last! Finally, I can rest! This wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it will have to do, bare with the fact that I'm passing this story in about five day's time and I'm running out of it! Anyway, I can finally thank everyone on my list: Kamikazee, for their song _Girlfriend_. Feathertop, thanks for bearing with the fact that you're present every chapter saying the same words all over again grins widely and I'm still wondering if you and toooot! could ever be together… Just kidding! Akune and Therence, thank you for… erm… I don't know, being present I guess; Chonki, I remember your face everytime I get a grammatical error; All the reviewers, you kept my spirits up, thank you, thank you, thank you! And finally Francis, you light up my life, in short, you are my life! Thank you!


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